IFC launches integrated push to tackle agric bottlenecks and expand digital connectivity

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is positioning itself to lead a coordinated programme of investments across agriculture, energy, transport and digital infrastructure in Ghana and the wider Gulf of Guinea, according to its new Regional Director, Nathalie Kouassi Akon.

In an interview with B&FT, Akon said the IFC is intensifying support for value-addition in agriculture while prioritising major investments in cross-border digital connectivity. The strategy, she explained, aims to boost productivity, modernise rural economies and expand access to regional markets.

“This is not a set of isolated projects,” she stressed. “We are trying to address long-standing bottlenecks simultaneously, with focus and disciplined execution.”

Transforming agricultural value chains

Akon emphasised that unlocking the region’s agricultural value chains remains central to the IFC’s agenda.

“Africa has to do something about its agriculture,” she said. “Young people are leaving the sector, and most exports are still unprocessed. There is enormous potential to create decent jobs and raise productivity.”

Through its AgriConnect initiative, the IFC plans to scale digital and private-sector-led aggregation platforms to support smallholder farmers—addressing fragmentation, low bargaining power and inconsistent access to markets. Traditional cooperatives and state-led structures, she noted, have delivered limited progress, whereas digital platforms can reach thousands of farmers at scale and provide real-time information on pricing, logistics and planting cycles.

But she cautioned that agricultural transformation cannot succeed without parallel investment in power and transport infrastructure.

“Without reliable electricity, the entire value chain breaks down,” she said, highlighting IFC’s Mission 300 programme, which seeks to expand electricity access across the region.

The IFC also intends to increase financing for logistics infrastructure, cold-chain facilities and rural road networks—critical links that determine whether perishable goods can reach markets efficiently and competitively.

Ghana’s own infrastructure gaps remain significant. Post-harvest losses for crops such as maize, yam and tomatoes range between 20% and 50%, with an estimated value of US$1.9 billion in 2023, according to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Poor storage, weak market linkages and limited processing capacity continue to erode farmer incomes and undermine export competitiveness.

Akon also urged governments to address distortions in trade regimes and align tax policy with private sector investment and regional ambitions—an especially pressing issue under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), where inconsistent tariff structures weaken domestic producers.

Driving a regional digital future

Beyond agriculture, the IFC is pursuing a bold digital integration drive across the sub-region.

Describing digital infrastructure as “an enabler of efficiency and scale”, Akon said it has the power to connect remote producers to markets, deepen fintech adoption and lower business costs.

She referenced commitments made at a recent digital summit in Cotonou, where Ghana, Togo, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire agreed to collaborate on shared cross-border fibre routes and more resilient internet architecture rather than duplicating national systems. The IFC is working with major mobile network operators to build the digital backbone required for seamless regional connectivity.

The institution is also investing in digital enterprise development through early-stage venture funds like 4DX Ventures, supporting start-ups in fintech, healthtech and agri-tech. Partnerships with education providers are helping close the digital skills gap.

“The proportion of young people studying STEM remains extremely low. Our education system is not evolving fast enough for the jobs of tomorrow,” Akon warned.

Ghana’s digital economy continues to expand rapidly. Mobile money transactions exceeded GH¢3.6 trillion between January and October 2025, according to the Bank of Ghana. Internet penetration stood at 69.9% at the start of the year, though GSMA reports that reliability remains uneven outside major cities—a challenge the IFC views as an opportunity for targeted investment.

A coordinated approach

Ultimately, Akon said the IFC’s strategy is built on combining interventions that have too often been pursued in isolation.

“You require the infrastructure, you require the energy, you require the logistics,” she said. “The power is in doing all of this at the same time.”